Living a Better, More Vibrant Life

WELLBEING

June is Men’s Health Month

In This Issue:

Distracted

Driving

Is it Worth it?

Why Should You Avoid Processed Foods?

9 Anti-Aging Tips for Men

Nutrition for

Insights June

June is Men’s Health Month

June is Men’s Health Month. Celebrate

National Men’s Health Week, June 9 - 15. Take a bike ride. Toss a ball. Eat less salt. Try more veggies. There are many easy things you can do every day to improve your health and stay healthy. Get Good Sleep Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Also, insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machine-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year. Sleep guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation have noted that our sleep needs change as we age. In general, adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep. Toss out the Tobacco It is never too late to quit. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. It improves your health and lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease and other smoking-related illnesses. Try to avoid being around secondhand smoke as well. Inhaling other people's smoke causes health problems similar to those that smokers have. Babies and children are still growing, so the poisons in secondhand smoke hurt them even more than adults.

Celebrate

National Men’s Health Week

June 9 —15, 2014

Move More Adults need at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) every week, as well as muscle strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups, including legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms on two or more days per week. You do not have to do it all at once. Spread out your activity during the week, and break it into smaller times during the day. Eat Healthy Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. They are a source of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat and alcohol. Choose healthy snacks. Tame Stress Sometimes stress can be good. However, it can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and out of control. Take care of yourself. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Find support. Connect socially. Stay active.

Stay on Top of Your Game See your doctor or nurse for regular checkups. Certain diseases and conditions may not have symptoms, so checkups help diagnose issues early or before they can become a problem. Pay attention to signs and symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, excessive thirst and problems with urination. If you have these symptoms or any other unusual symptoms, be sure to see your

doctor right away. Don’t wait! Keep track of your numbers relating to blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI). If your numbers are high or low, your doctor or nurse

can explain what they mean and suggest how you can reach a healthier range. Be sure to ask him or her what tests you need and how often you need them. Get Vaccinated Everyone needs immunizations to stay healthy, no matter how old you are. Even if you had vaccines as a child, immunity can fade with time. Vaccine recommendations are based on a variety of factors, including age, overall health and your medical history. Vaccines can protect you and your loved ones from serious diseases like influenza (flu), shingles, pneumococcal disease and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In addition, the Tdap vaccination protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Other vaccinations you may need include those that protect against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox (varicella), measles, mumps and rubella. Ask your doctor or nurse which vaccines you need to stay healthy.

Is texting worth risking your life - or someone else’s life? That may seem like an easy question to answer. Sadly, though, thumbing away on a smartphone has become a standard driving pastime, despite all the warnings and laws. Anyone who drives can witness the dangerous behavior of many people using mobile devices while driving. Toss in other driver distractions such as eating or grooming, and you have the makings for a roadside tragedy. Are you guilty? Leave calls, checking emails and other distractions until

you park the car. Make a silent promise to yourself to drive safely from now

on. When you drive, make this your only task. Set a good example for others, too. Have heart-to-heart talks with other drivers in your life

about paying attention to the world around them when behind the wheel.

Make sure your kids know the rules of the road.

For safe driving tips, go to:

www.DistractedDrivingSafetyAlliance.org.

It can happen hundreds of times during the night. A person with sleep apnea just stops breathing. Then, with a gasp or loud snore, breathing resumes. The disease is most common in overweight men and has been linked to high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and heart failure. Sleep apnea causes pausing in your breathing during sleep, usually due to obstruction of the airway by "soft tissues." It can cause fatigue during the day and nodding off at the wheel. As you age, the muscles near your breathing tube become less firm. With the increased fat inside your jaw, such as the fat in a double chin, you are at increased risk of having your airway close. This airway closure, which is called sleep apnea, is often what occurs when people snore heavily. When a person who is snoring heavily suddenly stops snoring, total obstruction may be occurring, with no air flow. This is followed by more snoring when the airway opens again. Conservative treatment involves weight loss and avoiding sleeping on the back. When sleeping, use of a mask that pumps air under a little pressure into the nostrils can be very effective and keep passageways open. A more aggressive treatment may include surgery. Consult with your physician to diagnose this condition.

Sodium, added sugars and/or fat may be added during processing. Always read the Nutrition Facts Label and Ingredient List when buying processed food items. You may be surprised when you see the amount of sodium and sugar found in some jarred pastas! Reading food labels at the grocery store can guide you to make the best choices. When food is processed, nutrients may be lost, including fiber. Some products may be fortified or enriched to compensate for the lost nutrients, but fiber is not always added back to foods that lost it during processing.

Try to choose foods closest to their natural form rather than heavily processed foods. This ensures that you consume healthy nutrients naturally present in those foods, like vitamins, minerals and fiber. For example, if buying frozen vegetables, choose ones without sauce since frozen vegetables in a “sauce” may have unwanted sodium and fat added. You can then prepare the frozen vegetables at home with a controlled amount of desired seasoning and healthy unsaturated fats. “Grow Younger. Live Your Healthiest Life. Take the RealAge Test today! www.sharecare.com/realage”

Contributed by:

Why Should You Avoid Processed Foods?

9 Anti-Aging

Tips for Men

1. Eat foods that prevent heart disease.

2. Prevent heart disease with exercise.

3. Get enough vitamin D to prevent cancer.

4. Eat more antioxidants to dodge cancer.

5. Use sunscreen to prevent skin cancer.

6. Do regular self-exams to spot skin cancer.

7. Reduce stress for healthy work-life balance.

8. Laugh to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

9. See your doctor for routine checkups.

The widespread recalls of spinach, peanut butter, turkey and cantaloupe in recent years are prompting more individuals to question where and how their food is grown, raised and harvested. There are some startling facts about the nation’s food consumption that have prompted a nationwide movement to eat locally produced food: Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has

traveled an average of 1,500 miles. If every American ate just one meal a week

composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we could reduce the nation’s oil consumption by more than 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.

While the environmental impact of food consumption is certainly a good reason to think about changing your buying habits, it is not the only reason to eat locally. If you have ever eaten a tomato fresh from the vine, a succulent peach plucked from

The Benefits

of Eating Locally

a tree or asparagus on the day it is harvested, you know that local food is fresher and tastes better than mass-produced food available at your local supermarket. Just as importantly, there is less chance of contamination when buying local foods since there are fewer steps between your food's source and your table. Local food is also less likely to contain chemicals. Even if a local farm is not certified organic (and many are not due to the cost), small farms tend to be less aggressive with chemicals and often practice sustainable farming; a method of raising food that is both healthy for consumers and animals and does not harm the environment. Local farms also offer more variety than supermarkets. How often do you eat tomatoes with names such as the Arkansas Traveler, Black Krim or Golden Egg? Have you ever eaten Purple Majesty, Mountain Rose or Yellow Fin potatoes?

In addition to being delicious and packed with nutrients, the crop variety produced by local farmers helps preserve a wide agricultural gene pool, which is an important factor in long-term food security. Shopping locally also allows you to build and support your local economy and preserve green space and farmland. You benefit by knowing from where your food comes and being connected to the individuals who grow the crops, raise the animals, farm the honey and bake the bread. There are many resources for buying food locally. Search online for food co-ops, farmer’s markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA, which allow you to buy a share in a farmer’s crops and receive produce weekly). Depending on where you live, such as less temperate northern states, you may think that eating locally and seasonally is difficult, but this does not have to be the case. There are many online resources for eating locally in any season. A number of farmer’s markets are also open throughout the winter and there are many cookbooks that feature recipes based on the ingredients that are in season in your area.

Healthy Father’s Day Gift Ideas

A healthy grill cookbook for the Dad that likes to cook will be enjoyed.

A pedometer will help him track his walking steps.

Skin products will help keep his skin clean and hydrated and will keep him looking young.

For the overworked Dad, give the gift of relaxa-tion with a backyard hammock.

Don’t forget to give him a hug or call to say, “I love you!”

Contributed by: Debra Wein, MS, RD, NSCA-CPT, CWPD, is a nationally recognized expert on health and wellness and is president and founder of Wellness Workdays, a leading provider of worksite wellness programs.

Women may dominate the dieting world, but obesity is an issue for men, too. Read on for weight loss tips tailored for men. Most men put more thought into how they fuel their car than how they fuel their body. It is no wonder that obesity is on the rise, and that the number of obese men in the U.S. has doubled over the past 25 years. Sedentary habits and overeating have contributed to this epidemic. But the question remains: how to motivate men in a dieting world that is dominated by women? Ready for a tune-up? For starters, forget the word "diet.” Instead, begin to manage your food intake - just like you manage your finances, your relationships and your job. Next, think about your health and quality of life. Though your wedding tux may be out of reach, dropping a few pounds and exercising more will improve your fitness, strength and energy. Just check with your doctor before you increase your activity level. Other benefits of losing weight may include: Decreased risk of diabetes, heart attack, some

types of cancer, hypertension and sleep apnea. Better performance in sports. Longer lifespan (your spouse and kids will

appreciate this).

Nutrition for Men: A Game Plan for Weight Loss

The game plan Here is how to get the ball rolling: Don't skip breakfast. A morning meal gets your metabolic fire started. Ditch your muffin or donut, and have some instant oatmeal with walnuts, eggs and low-fat cheese on an English muffin, peanut butter on whole-wheat toast or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with nuts and fruit. Cut portions in half. Men like volume. But overeating is probably what got you here in the first place. So cut back on portions, especially when dining out. When cooking at home, add more veggies to your meal so you feel like you are eating more. For instance, add zucchini, mushrooms and onions to your pasta sauce. Use more sauce and less pasta. Don't overdo protein. Strength training, along with moderate protein and carbs are the key to muscle building; not excess protein. Most men get more than enough protein in their diets. Forget protein powders, and stick with lean chicken, turkey, fish, eggs and beans. Even veggies and grains have protein. Focus on good carbs. Carbs are essential for energy and building muscle. Stick with wholesome choices and go for fruits and veggies, whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas, brown rice and baked sweet potatoes. Limit cookies, donuts, cakes, large bagels and white flour rolls. Pay attention to real hunger. Eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are full. This includes pushing away from the table when there is still food left. It is more manly to refuse extra food than to clean the plate. Snack smart. Endless bowls of chips, ice cream and salted nuts are just some of the snacking downfalls of men. Instead of candy at the vending machine, go for a piece of fruit, half of a turkey sandwich or some low-fat cheese and whole-grain crackers. Keep healthy snacks stocked at the office.

Exercise regularly. There is no better one-two punch for weight loss than regular exercise and good nutrition. Work in some type of aerobic exercise most days of the week. Strength train two to three times a week to build muscle. This will help increase your metabolism. Check with your doctor before you increase your activity level. Travel light. Traveling for business adds an extra challenge. Try to skip heavy meals and keep to a meal schedule. For breakfast, go for scrambled eggs with toast, oatmeal with low-fat milk and fresh fruit. Limit refined

carbs, such as bagels, pancakes and waffles. For lunch, opt for salads or sandwiches/wraps with grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon. Ask to skip or go

light on the mayo. Watch dinner portions. Do not hesitate to leave leftovers on your plate. Opt for more fish and chicken

versus beef, and avoid fried foods. Limit alcohol. Spoiler alert: alcohol has calories. If you care to drink, limiting yourself to two drinks per day will cut the amount of calories you consume. It will also help you avoid gaining belly fat and will enhance your overall health. Finally, do not rush it. A goal of one half to one pound per week is the most sensible for the long term. When it comes to permanent weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. Contributed by: United Healthcare

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Tbsp.

Calories: 5

Total Fat 0 g Sodium 45 mg Fiber 2.1 g Total Carbs 1 g Protein 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg

Almost Guacamole This recipe is a tasty alternative with less

fat and fewer calories than traditional guacamole.

Ingredients (servings: 32)

1 can (15 oz.) asparagus cuts (drained) 1 cup of tomato, seeded and chopped 1/2 cup of onion, chopped 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro 2 tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise or

salad dressing 1 tbsp. lime juice 3 to 6 drops red pepper sauce 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Directions

Place asparagus in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth. Stir together blended asparagus and remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve with baked crackers, if desired.

Enjoy!

Superfood

of the Month

People are attracted to kiwi fruit because of its brilliant green color and exotic taste. But, the real uniqueness of kiwi fruit comes from its health benefits. The health benefits from this fruit are a reason to include this superfood in your menu.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 fruit

Calories: 42

Total Fat 0.4 g Sodium 2 mg Fiber 2.1 g Total Carbs 10 g Protein 0.8 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sugars 6 g

Kiwi Kiwi

Health Benefits of

Eating Kiwi

Raw kiwi contains actinidain, a protein dissolving enzyme that can help digest a meal much like the papain in papaya or bromelain in pineapple. In addition, eating kiwi helps to manage your blood pressure by keeping the electrolytes in balance by counteracting the effects of sodium. Kiwi also helps to boost your immunity with its high vitamin C content along with other antioxidant compounds proven to boost the immune system. Lastly, the fuzzy fiber of kiwi helps bind and move toxins from your intestinal tract. Add kiwi to your grocery list today.

Swimming is a good fitness choice for just about everyone, especially those who have physical limitations or those who find other forms of exercise painful. It is a good, whole-body exercise that is low impact for people with arthritis, musculoskeletal or weight limitations. Water's buoyancy accommodates the unfit as well as the fit. Water cushions stiff joints or fragile bones that might be injured by the impact of land exercises. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50 percent of its weight; immersed to the chest, it's 25 to 35 percent; and to the neck, 10 percent. Athletes use water to rehabilitate after injury or to cross-train. People with arthritis or other disabilities use water to improve fitness and range of motion and to relieve pain and stiffness. Swimming is also desirable for people with exercise-induced asthma, as the warm, humid air around the pool causes less irritation to the airways. If you do not already know how to swim, invest in swimming lessons. Consult your physician before starting any exercise regiment.

Swimming

We would like your feedback and personal stories to use and feature in future publications. Your Personal Wellness Story: If you have a personal health or wellness story that you think would inspire others, please feel free to send a brief letter and your picture to our editor. Corrina@HealthierU.net Thank you for reading and contributing. We sincerely hope that we can become a healthier part of becoming a healthier you.

Clear Broth Soups versus Cream Soups: A serving of cream based soups, like cream of mushroom can set you back extra calories. Cream based soups are generally higher in calories due to higher fat and heavy cream content. Broth based soups, like chicken noodle, are generally lower in calories and fat. Now that you are aware, it is up to you to make smart choices. Check your supermarkets for fat-free or reduced fat versions of your food items.

Eat This...Not That...

The Wellbeing Insights Newsletter is prepared for you by HealthierU Event Planning and CBIZ. The contributions included in this newsletter do not specifically reflect your employer’s opinions and are provided complimentary to CBIZ clients for

distribution to their employees. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes in diet, exercise or implementing any recommendations made by this publication.

This Newsletter has been Prepared by

Specifically for the clients of